1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to games of chance predicated on the selection of numbers and, more particularly, to an accumulation variant of lottery-style games of chance.
2. Description of Related Art
All games of chance based upon the selection of numbers, such as Keno and state run lotteries, operate on the same basic procedures. Players pick a set of numbers, submit a play slip with the required fee, and receive an official ticket to confirm their entries. The set of numbers is good for only the single game or drawing that is identified on the ticket. At a designated later time, a group of numbers are randomly drawn and become the official winning numbers. Depending on whether the player's numbers match at least a predetermined amount of the winning numbers, he or she may be a winner. A variation on this is that a player can pre-pay to play the same set of numbers for multiple consecutive games or drawings. The entry is then valid for the selected number of consecutive individual games or drawings. It is as if the player purchased a number of separate entries, selecting the same set of numbers on each entry. There are several significant variations based upon this common platform.
In one variation, commonly called Keno, there are a number of different playing options available, thereby providing the player a choice of the amount of the wager for each ticket. Players can choose from a wide range of games, involving the selection of from only one or two numbers to often as many as twenty, all from the same pool of eighty numbers in play during each drawing. The prize threshold amount depend entirely upon the Keno game chosen and are determined ahead of time by the casino and are based upon the payout policies and the probability of winning. Each Keno location is independent and has its own fixed payment tables to determine prize amounts based upon the Keno game and number of correct matches.
The wide variety of games available in Keno, results in an increased amount of information that must be manually entered into the system computer before an official ticket can be printed and the entry activated. Consequently, there is a larger staff requirement and increased interaction between the players and staff, who are often referred to as “Keno Writers”. The high staffing requirements mean that a large jackpot win can, and often does, drain most or all of the profits from the Keno game for a considerable period. Since the number of tickets that one Keno Writer can issue, even with the aid of computerization, is constant, attempts to increase the number of tickets sold will not necessarily increase the casino's revenue or profits from the game.
Another variation of number based games of chance is a lottery, such as the ones operated by various states. Players generally have only a single play mode with a fixed price for each entry, generally one dollar. This lack of choice allows many remote locations to be linked together in a single lottery game without the need for a large dedicated staff to run the game. The prize payouts are generally pari-mutuel except for the lower payouts, which are fixed in much the same way as in Keno. This means that the major prize levels are calculated based on a percentage of the total amount wagered by all participants in each drawing. If there is no winner, the proceeds are often carried over to the subsequent drawing, thereby increasing the “pot” of funds available for the top prize levels of the subsequent drawing. As a result, the sale of lottery tickets fluctuate based upon the estimated jackpot size.
In some cases the distinction between the lottery and Keno variations is being blurred. State run lotteries have recently been introducing new promotions and games to increase revenues and lure more players. Games such as “Texas Millions” completely dispense with the pari-mutuel system of variable jackpots and set fixed amounts for all prize levels, irrespective of the total amount wagered by all participants. Texas Millions involves multiple sets of numbers issued for a single entry and the prize amount varies depending on which set contained the winning numbers. Other games have added features that allow players to pick “bonus numbers” thereby making the game more like the variable number situation of Keno. However, even these hybrid games still follow the same basic premise of all prior games of chance based upon the selection of numbers.
This basic premise is that each drawing is a stand-alone event. After the official numbers are drawn, the entries for that particular draw go “dead.” A player may have pre-paid for use of the same numbers in multiple consecutive draws, in which event the same numbers will stay alive for a series of identical, one-time events. However, this is the same as purchasing a number of entries and selecting the same set of numbers for each one. In any event, none of the prior games of chance based upon the selection of numbers involves the accumulation of matches over a number of games or drawings.